


In this garden there’s no feeling

by downrightpiano



Series: In this garden there’s no feeling [1]
Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Horror, M/M, Timefog, Tony Stark-centric, Tony and Jan are best bros, Unreliable Narrator, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:53:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downrightpiano/pseuds/downrightpiano
Summary: After a disturbing excursion into the Timefog, things start getting weird for Tony. Insomnia rears its ugly head, people seem strangely concerned about his welfare, and Steve keeps trying to talk to him.He just wants to get some sleep.He just wants to go home.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: In this garden there’s no feeling [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615753
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	In this garden there’s no feeling

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing horror. I hope it delivers. Also not sure why Tony turned out so tsundere but that's what happened. So. Eh. Also this was supposed to be 4k but it exploded and ended up being 9k+. I don't even know.

By the time Tony realizes what’s happening, it’s too late. The realization sinks into him like ice, and then he just feels- nothing. The emptiness should’ve frightened him, but apathy spreads until he’s left staring at the wall of his workshop. Tony blinks. He looks down at the soldering iron in his hand and wonders why, and if, it mattered.

Tony turns off the soldering iron and sets it in its cradle. He looks about the workshop in a daze and decides sleeping would be more productive than whatever he’d been attempting (it had seemed important). “I’m calling it a night, JARVIS. Shut it down for me, would you?” Distantly, he wonders at the detachment in his voice.

“Very well, Sir.” The lights and sounds of an active workshop fade until it’s dark and quiet, with only the light near the elevator illuminating the space. “Are you feeling alright?” Tony picks out the concern in JARVIS’ voice.

He stands under the light and looks out into the dimness. “Yeah. Yeah, just tired. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.” He takes one last glance before stepping into the elevator and letting it take him up to the penthouse. Lethargy pulls at his bones as he stares at the closed elevator doors. He’s just tired from binge-working. He just needs to sleep. Captain America’s either rubbing off on him, or he’s experiencing premature aging. With that thought, he crawls into bed and closes his eyes.

In the dead of the night, Tony opens his eyes and puts on his jet boots.

He walks out of the Tower.

Another day, another argument. Sometimes, it seemed like all Tony ever did was go to school and fight with Steve. That was his schedule, wake up, go to class, pick a fight with Steve, and then home again and work.

Today was no exception. The two of them had another argument after classes ended for the day. It was another stupid fight where Tony tried to be as obnoxious as he could and Steve exercised his disapproval. He had to admit, he’d said some words he wasn’t proud of, but Steve had hit back just as hard, pointing out all of Tony’s shortcomings like he was reading off a checklist. All of it had lodged itself in Tony’s brain, bouncing around like a pinball game with no game over.

So what if he was self-centered and spoiled? And a multitude of other negative personality traits? He still had his Tower, JARVIS, and the armour. That was all one needed in life, really. After all, he was Tony Stark.

He set down on the Tower’s landing pad and let the disassembly rig remove his armour.

“Welcome home, Sir.” JARVIS’ voice was always a soothing balm to a harrowing day. “Might I remind you of the project Director Fury assigned you? You are to observe and take readings from the edge of the Timefog in two hours’ time.” Or not. JARVIS was a taskmaster, that’s what he was.

Tony groaned and rolled his eyes. “Fury can go clean his eyepatch or whatever he does. I’m going down to the workshop. Alert me only when it’s absolutely time to head out.”

JARVIS replied in a snitty voice that made Tony proud. “Very well, Sir. I shall endeavor to do so.”

He grinned fondly. “That’s the spirit, J.”

In the two hour window, he managed to not only finish three projects for SI, but also get himself out of his funk. Tony always found tinkering and building things to be soothing. Just him and technology. That and blasting music at ear-splitting levels.

“It’s time to leave, Sir.” JARVIS lowered the volume of the music until it faded out completely.

Tony looked up from the chunk of wires he was holding. His neck cracked multiple times in quick succession. “Already?” He blinked and squinted at his phone. The lock screen lit up with the JARVIS-set reminder and two messages from Jan. The first message was a selfie of her in her latest outfit. The second message was a follow-up on how she was going to design Tony a matching set. He smiled at that and fired off a few emojis.

Contrary to popular belief, Tony Stark does do his assignments and complete them on time.

All in all, it took him less than ten minutes to suit up and fly to the edge of the campus where the Timefog was.

Tony groaned. “Please tell me I’m not seeing what I’m seeing.”

JARVIS highlighted the rapidly approaching figure on the HUD. “I do believe that is Captain Rogers, Sir.”

Tony sighed gustily, good mood gone. He landed (impressively, if he did say so himself) and addressed the man in front of him. “What are you doing here, Rogers? I've got important things to do, so you need to move.”

The man in question looked completely at ease with the situation. “I’m your backup on this mission.”

Tony spluttered. “I don’t need backup. This is just simple data collection, a one-man job.”

Steve settled into parade rest and looked him in the eyes. “It’s already been discussed with Fury. I’m staying here with you until you’re done.”

Tony crossed his arms. “I don’t need babysitting, Rogers. What are you going to do the entire time I’m here? Glare the Timefog into submission? Why don’t you go destroy a helicopter or two instead? That’ll be a much better use of time for everyone involved.”

“Ensuring the safety of the students is a good use of my time, Tony.” Steve looked at him with earnestness in his eyes. “I know we don’t see eye to eye, but your safety is still important to me.”

Tony ignored his burning face and thanked whoever was listening that he had the faceplate down. “Whatever. Don’t get in my way.”

Data collection in itself was a simple affair. What was not simple was the red, white, and blue figure hovering in the background like an overgrown guard dog. Tony grumbled under his breath and tried his best to ignore Captain America. He managed to last half an hour before cracking. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. I’m going in. Track our progress, JARVIS.”

He was almost at the edge of the Timefog when a hand clamped down on his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks. Steve’s voice registered behind him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “I’m going in to get better readings. Being outside the Timefog isn’t really giving me anything new. Don’t worry your old self, Cap. It’s only a little ways in.” He smirked to himself. “You can sit this one out if it’s giving you the heebie jeebies.”

Steve frowned and held onto the armour. “That’s not a good idea, Tony. Fury didn’t say anything about going in.”

Tony raised the faceplate so he could bare his teeth in that obnoxious grin Steve didn’t like. “Aren’t you the one who said I don’t follow orders? Besides, it’s for science!” He rolled his eyes again when Steve just kept looking at him. “You’re not changing my mind. See you later.”

He tried to pull the offending hand off his shoulder, but Steve wouldn’t budge. “If you insist on going in, then I’m going with you. We don’t know what’s in there, and it’s better to stay together.”

Tony groaned and waved a hand. “Fine. Whatever. Just keep your hands to yourself.” He turned and marched into the Timefog without waiting for a response.

The Timefog felt as ominous as it looked from outside. The coolness of the purple-gray haze caressed Tony’s face in a way that felt eerie and menacing. His neck prickled and goosebumps went up his arms even in the temperature-controlled suit. Unlike a natural fog, there was none of the associated moisture. Tony supposed if one wanted to be precise, calling the Timefog a haze would be more accurate. But then again, ‘Timehaze’ just didn’t have the same appeal as ‘Timefog’.

The sensors didn’t detect anything out of the ordinary. It was as if there was no mysterious purple fog at all. All readings were normal.

Parts of the Timefog were denser than others, resulting in highly variable visibility. It could be relatively clear in one area, but advance several feet more and suddenly visibility would drop to zero. Patchy clouds of fog drifted, obscuring their surroundings before lazily passing by. There was no air movement. Even sound seemed to be muffled. Everything was stifled in a still, perpetual twilight.

Tony shivered.

Beside him, Steve glanced in his direction. “Are you okay?”

Tony scowled. “I can handle myself, Rogers.”

Steve sighed. “I’m not trying to pick a fight, Tony. I just want to make sure you’re doing okay.”

“Right. Making sure that I’m doing okay. Did Fury also tell you to do a psychiatric evaluation on the narcissistic man-child that he sent for this highly important mission?” Tony looked at the readings from his gauntlet’s holographic display. “Because clearly I can’t be trusted to do anything important by myself, because I’m careless and don’t care to think about anything other than fooling around, making myself look good, and throwing money around. Right?”

Steve jerked as if he’d been hit. “That’s not what I- Tony, no. Look, I’m sorry about going off on you earlier today. It was out of line, and I shouldn’t have said the things I said.”

“Yeah, but you still thought and meant it.” Tony muttered to himself. He stared hard at the unchanging readings to avoid looking at Steve.

The other man grimaced. “Look, I just-” He huffed. “I just think you can be better. I see all this potential in you but you just squander it. Like you don’t care.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “There is it again. ‘You don’t care’, blah blah blah. Rhodey’s given me that speech before, Cap. Don’t you worry, you’re just reiterating everything everyone’s said to me at one time or another. Just relax and enjoy the Timefog, why don’t you.”

It was only because he was staring so hard at the readings coming from his gauntlet that he saw it. A tiny aberration in the numbers. He looked at his GPS and tilted his head. Tony slowly angled to the left. The readings fluctuated. He angled to the right. The readings returned to normal. He made a small noise of consideration.

Tony veered left.

Steve’s voice picked up behind him. “Tony, where are you going? You need to be more careful!”

Tony spun around. “Will you stop making so much noise, Steve? I’m concentrating here!” Something caught on his boot and he tripped. He flailed and landed in a loud, ungainly heap.

The noises of a full suit of armour falling to the ground were quickly dampened by the fog and petered out. Tony groaned and winced at the sudden pain in his cheek. He prodded his cheek and his gauntlet came away red and wet. He’d cut himself on a bit of exposed rock. It was only a few drops of blood, but it had smeared darkly across the rock and a lone withered tree root.

Tony clambered to his feet and realized he was alone. The Timefog was so thick he could barely see his hands. “Steve?” The name was quickly swallowed by the haze. Tony looked about. “Steve, where are you?” There was no answer.

“JARVIS, scan for Steve’s signature.”

The ensuing silence made Tony go cold. “JARVIS?” He checked the suit. It was still powered on and he was clearly able to move about. Except JARVIS didn’t reply and any other functions that would’ve been useful to him were equally non-responsive.

Tony put his hands on his hips. “Well, shit.”

He looked around again and shrugged. He faced the direction he thought they came from and started walking. It would probably be safer and smarter to stay in one place and wait for Steve to find him, but Tony was never good at sitting still. Besides, he was fairly confident he was heading in the right direction.

Twenty minutes later, Tony admitted defeat and stopped. The fog was still pressing in around him and visibility was still down to zero. Throwing caution to the wind, he called out. “Steve? Can you hear me?”

The silence was unnerving. Tony strained his eyes in vain to see past the swirling fog. “Steve!” His voice wavered. Taking a steadying breath, Tony willed himself to calm down.

Almost as if sensing his mounting anxiety, the fog thickened even more, until it was a roiling wall penning Tony in where he stood. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

Then, like a switch had been flipped, the fog slipped away. Tony took in a ragged breath of air, glad for the respite. A tall shape emerged in the murky middle distance and he breathed out a sigh of relief. “Steve, there you are! Didn’t you hear me calling?”

He strode towards the figure. “There’s something wrong with the suit. JARVIS isn’t answering and nothing seems to be working.”

He received no answer and suddenly a sense of unease washed over him. Tony’s footsteps slowed until he came to an uncertain stumbling halt. “…Steve?”

The figure was unmoving, and now that he was closer, he could see that there was something off about it. From a distance it had looked human, but now that he was closer, it was obvious that it was something else.

Tony’s heart lurched. Goosebumps skittered from his scalp down his spine. A blink of the eyes, and the shape subtly shifted. Tony’s breath left him in a quiet wheeze. He blinked again and the shape suddenly seemed bigger. He stared hard at the form and willed his eyes to not blink until his eyes watered.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Tony!”

He gave a choked scream and spun on his heel, whipping his hand up on instinct, forgetting that the repulsors weren’t working.

Steve grabbed the offending appendage and looked at him funny. “Are you okay, Tony? I’ve been calling for you. Did you not hear me?”

Tony stared wide eyed at the other man and suppressed the urge to cling to him. “Steve?” He whipped his head around. There was nothing in the fog. No ominous shapes, no creepy sensations. He looked back at Steve to make sure he was real. The other man looked at him in concern.

The fog was calm, unassuming.

“What is it, did you see something?” Steve peered into the fog behind Tony before his eyes snapped back to his face. “You’re bleeding.” He used his free hand to wipe the blood from Tony’s face.

Tony’s breath rattled in his chest. “I saw something. I thought I saw something.” He shuddered. “But I didn’t get a good look. And it’s gone now.”

Steve unhooked the shield from its harness. “Are you sure?” He surveyed the area.

Normally, Tony would have replied with something smart, but terror still clung to him. “I- I don’t know. Let’s get out of here. Fury’s got all the data he needs.” He grabbed Steve’s elbow and tugged.

Steve let himself be pulled along. “You look really pale, Tony. You weren’t hurt anywhere else, were you?”

Tony’s eyes flitted about, looking for something that wasn’t there. “It’s just the one scratch, Steve. Nothing to worry about. Let’s just go.”

“At your current heading, you will come out of the Timefog in approximately eighteen minutes.” JARVIS’ voice announced, crisp and clear.

Tony’s knees nearly wobbled from relief. “Oh I’ve missed you, JARVIS buddy. Never do that again.”

“Most definitely, Sir.”

Tony sighed and did not let go of Steve’s elbow.

He didn’t let go until they were well clear of the Timefog and back on campus grounds, to hell with anyone who saw.

Tony tumbled into bed and burrowed beneath the covers. Exhaustion seeped into every part of his body. Putting the report together and sending it off to Fury should’ve been a simple task, but he had difficulty concentrating and kept glancing out the window. The trip into the Timefog was something he vowed to never repeat again, unless the safety of the world depended on it. Tony was man enough to admit that the experience was terrifying.

It was like a horror video game, but he was the protagonist, and there was no quit game option. He rubbed his face into his pillow and tried to shake off the chill.

For once, he was glad Steve had insisted on tagging along. Who knew what would’ve happened if Captain America wasn’t there? Tony would probably be dead or dismembered in the Timefog and no one would know or care.

He should probably apologize to Steve in the morning. Thinking back, their argument after class had been completely silly and pointless. Way to annoy the one guy who would volunteer to have your back, Stark. That and the whole Timefog business had turned the day into a gong show. Then again, if Steve hadn’t been there annoying him with his all-American face, he probably wouldn’t have gone into the Timefog in the first place.

Tony groaned and pulled the covers up to his chin. Dr. Pym’s lab was first thing in the morning, and he needed to be awake enough to even try to avoid getting electrocuted.

He closed his eyes.

Tony woke with a full body jerk. He looked around his bedroom with a hammering heart until he realized it was the alarm that woke him. The last vestiges of an already forgotten dream slipped away, leaving only unease in its wake. He took a gulping breath and pressed a hand against the arc reactor. It was just a dream. He was fine. Everything was fine.

The entire morning, Tony felt off-kilter and cotton-brained. Neither being electrocuted multiple times in Dr. Pym’s lab nor the coffee he had in the morning did much to improve his energy levels.

He sank into the seat Jan saved for him. The lecture hall was still filling with students, and the drone of voices filled the space, interspersed with bright spots of laughter.

Jan peered at him with a concerned frown. “Are you okay, Tony? You don’t look very good.”

Tony brought a hand to his chest in mock affront. “Janet van Dyne, are you accusing me of not always looking my best?”

Jan pursed her lips and considered him. “You know you always look good Tony, but you’d look even better in this!” She shoved her phone in his face, expectantly gleeful.

He looked at the screen and nodded approvingly. “You’re right. You’re totally right. Your talents know no bounds.”

Wasp’s voice spiked sharply in excitement. “Right?! You’ll look so hot in this, the campus won’t know what hit it!” She settled down and grabbed his hand. “But really, you look under the weather. Are you sick?”

Tony smiled at her. Jan was the best, really. “No, just feel a bit off. I didn’t sleep too well last night.”

Jan gave a little ‘aww’. “Was it that mission Fury sent you on? The Timefog always gives me the creeps.”

Tony shivered. “Yeah. I decided to go in to get better readings. But then I thought I saw something, and JARVIS was acting up. But hey, got some fresh new readings for Fury, so success?”

Jan searched his face. “Is that how you got that cut on your cheek?” She gently pressed fingers around it. “It looks pretty inflamed. Maybe you should get it checked out.”

Tony hummed noncommittally. “Maybe later.” He leaned into Jan, glad that she was such a good friend.

She patted his hand. “Do you want a hug?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Hugging Jan always made Tony feel better. He tucked his chin into her hair and sighed. “You’re the best, Jan. What do you say to a selfie?”

She nearly shrieked into his ear. “Who do you take me for? I always say yes to selfies!”

As lecture ended, Steve made himself known. Tony and Jan were just about to leave their seats, collecting their things. Tony sighed to himself. Steve was so tense he practically stood at attention, and his face looked as if he was waiting for a court martial.

“You okay there? You look constipated.” Tony had linked arms with Jan. The plan was to get some much needed coffee, and then a round of selfies in the quad before the next class.

Steve cleared his throat. “Can I talk to you, Tony?” He glanced from Tony to Jan, then back.

Jan rolled her eyes. “Boys.” She gave Tony a quick hug. “See you later, I’ll message you!” She flounced away, disappearing into the shifting mass of students.

The two men stared at each other. Steve cleared his throat again and shifted his weight. Tony raised his eyebrows at the other man’s uncharacteristic nervousness. “Can I help you?”

Steve twitched. “Can we take this outside? It’s a bit crowded here.”

Tony’s eyebrows climbed higher. “Okay? Sure.” Steve led him out of the lecture hall to one of the more secluded areas of the park.

Turning about, Steve faced Tony. He visibly steeled himself. “I want to talk about yesterday.”

Tony groaned. “Oh my God, are you serious.”

Steve looked even more constipated than before. “Just hear me out. I want to apologize for yesterday. I was out of line and you don’t deserve what I said about you.”

Tony crossed his arms. “Okay, that’s nice. Is that all you wanted to say? Because I-”

Steve grabbed him by the shoulders and shook. “Just listen! I am apologizing because I was being a terrible friend. Friends do not say things like that to each other. And yes, I am your friend, Tony. Stop giving me that look. I know we argue all the time and fight too much, but I’d like to think we’re friends. If that’s okay with you?” He sent Tony an imploring look.

Tony’s shoulders tensed. “You already apologized yesterday, so I’m not sure why you’re still hung up about it. And sure, everyone’s friends and we’re all happy. Can you let go of me now? Because I’m getting hives from all this mush.”

Steve let him go, but frowned. “Is that the cut from yesterday? It doesn’t look very good. Did you clean it?” He squinted at Tony’s face. “Did you get any sleep?”

“You’re the second person who’s asked that today. It’s fine, I dealt with it.” Tony touched the cut self-consciously. “It’s not like I have a healing factor. This is just how normal humans heal. Slowly.”

Steve’s eyes roamed his face, unconvinced. “If you say so, Tony. Get some rest, will you? I’ll see you around.” He patted Tony’s shoulder awkwardly, then strode away.

Tony shook his head in consternation. Jan being concerned was one thing, but Cap? Totally random. Maybe Steve was feeling particularly in touch with his emotions today.

He yawned and the cut on his cheek twinged. If he hurried, he could get that coffee and still get to class on time. Tony nodded to himself. He was such a genius.

Tony landed on the Tower’s landing pad and stumbled. Even though it was a normal day and the campus hadn’t been invaded, he still felt as though he'd gone three rounds with both Hydra and AIM at the same time. His muscles ached and he had to fight to keep his eyes open.

“Might I suggest you retire for the day, Sir?”

Tony flapped a hand in the air. “I’d love to, JARVIS, but I need to finish up some things in the lab.” He dismissed the AI’s concern and headed down to the basement. It was only when the elevator dinged insistently at him that he realized he’d closed his eyes and was leaning against the wall. He pushed himself upright with a groan and stumbled into the lab. Holographic displays sprung up around him as he collapsed into his chair. There were two projects from the company that needed finalizing, and three for Pym. If it all went well, he could be done in six hours.

He’d just finished finalizing the second project for Stark Industries when the overhead lights flickered. Tony sent the project back to R&D and squinted at his to-do list. “JARVIS, I’ll go to bed when I’m done. And I’m almost done.” He opened up the first project on the list for Pym. “Just a bit longer.”

The holograms around him flickered, then died out. Tony rubbed at his eyes and groaned. “JARVIS! What did I just say?” He picked the closest camera to him and glared at it. There was no answer. The lights flickered again, then turned off completely, plunging the lab into darkness. The only source of light was Tony’s arc reactor, casting a faint blue-white glow that illuminated the desk.

“This isn’t funny, buddy.” Tony blinked in the darkness, but all he got were bright bursts of light flashing behind his eyelids. Looking at glowing holograms for so long had made it difficult for his eyes to adjust.

With a faint buzz, the lights clicked back on. Tony’s breath caught in his throat. Instead of the sleek shine of metal, everything was covered in a strange grayish dust. The lab looked like it’d been abandoned for a long time, and everything was still. The lights flickered ominously at random intervals. Tony couldn’t determine if it was the lighting that cast everything in a chilling purple-gray, or if the air itself was that hue.

The longer he sat there, the more he became aware of a faint creaking sound. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. The sound of it sent chills up his arms and spine, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. It echoed, intersected with the flickering lights, a disordered pattern that sent Tony’s pulse leaping. Something about it was old and familiar, but he knew he’d never come across it before in his life.

Tony didn’t dare move. His breathing sounded harsh in his ears and he swallowed, trying to control himself. The stale air stuck uncomfortably to the back of his throat. The lab was eerily still and he was the only one in it, but he could feel a presence, crawling at the back of his mind, watching him.

A huff of displaced air stirred up the strange gray dust. Heart stuttering, Tony turned slowly to look. He choked down a snort of disbelief and blinked rapidly. The elevator doors stood open. The lights within shone with a steady glow.

“Well, nothing like a giant neon sign in my face, I suppose.” Tony cracked. He pretended his voice wasn’t shaky and thin.

As if triggered by the sound of his voice, the overhead lights flickered rapidly. A low, grinding moan echoed about the room, and one by one the lights started failing.

Tony stood so fast his chair toppled backwards. “Oh shit. Is this the part where I run for my life?” He took another glance at the failing lights and the encroaching darkness before running to the elevator. He jabbed the button for the penthouse and held down the close door button. Just as the last light in the lab failed, the doors slid closed. Something solid and heavy beat against the reinforced metal and Tony scrambled into a far corner. He wheezed, high and sharp, as the elevator shook.

Finally, the elevator kicked into motion, and the terrible moaning faded.

Tony trembled where he was pressed into the corner. “Do I assume that you’re still here, JARVIS?”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Of course you’re not working. Nothing’s working except the elevator, which I’m very glad for.” He patted the wall with a shaking hand. “Nothing else except the elevator is working and I’m being hunted down by something or other in my own home. Great.”

The elevator slowed to a gentle stop and the doors opened.

Tony looked out and wanted to cry. “And I may or may not be in some post-apocalyptic world.”

The penthouse suite was just as dusty and dim as the lab, but the lights were calm and steady. He stepped out of the elevator cautiously, but there were no strange noises and he could not feel the presence from the lab. The air was still stale and oppressive, and Tony tried in vain to clear his throat.

He took a few more steps and looked around. The suite looked just the way he’d left it earlier that day. He glanced back at the open elevator for support, then walked further into the open-plan living area. The silence was a palpable heaviness around him and he flexed his fingers. The servos in his gauntlet whirred, but even they seemed muffled. Tony crossed the room to look out the expansive windows.

Terror gripped him.

The view from the penthouse was such that a large part of campus was visible. And what he could see was that it was deserted. Buildings were worn down, and the crumbling sidewalks had dead weeds coming out through the cracks. All the trees in Avengers Park were barren and the fountain was dry. The clock tower that was part of the Timeless Archives had a large crack running through the clock face, and the minute hand was missing.

The sky was dark and filled with roiling clouds. There was no sun to be seen, or if there was, it was hidden behind the heavy cloud cover. Everywhere Tony looked, a strange haze clung, giving everything it touched an odd grimy tinge.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, staring out into the bleakness, until he reflexively blinked away the dryness in his eyes. Tony skimmed through the decrepit buildings again, but his eyes were once more drawn to the same distant spot in the horizon. He stared at it until it seemed to expand and fill his entire field of view.

Tony swayed, but his eyes stayed steady. It entranced him, filled his being with something barely comprehensible. His thoughts stilled under gossamer threads of quiet. He pressed a hand against the glass to steady himself.

A breath in. A breath out.

The lights flickered.

Tony gazed out the windows. His hand grew lax and fell to his side. Something whispered at the back of his mind, indistinct and shadowy.

The lights flickered and the elevator dinged.

From the shadows, from the corners of his mind, something creaked. It came from everywhere, nowhere, multiplied, echoed.

The elevator dinged insistently.

A low rumble reverberated through the floor, travelling up Tony’s legs. The lights flickered, and a shape coalesced in the reflection captured by the glass.

It loomed, towering over him, leaning over him until it was almost touching.

The lights flickered madly.

“Sir!”

Tony jerked, choking in a ragged breath. “JARVIS? What-” He glanced about wildly. He was standing at the glass walls that lead out to the landing pad. Outside, the campus was quiet, foliage swaying gently in the breeze. Pre-dawn light painted the horizon a glowing orange. There was no haze, no dust. “What’s going on?”

“I believe you were sleepwalking, Sir. You fell asleep in the lab, then came up here. You stood here for two hours and forty-seven minutes. Your vitals became increasingly distressed, so I tried to wake you.” JARVIS paused. “You were unresponsive to my calls for twenty-three minutes, Sir.”

Tony wiped at his face and his fingers came away with a thin smear of blood. “But I don’t sleepwalk.”

“Not prior to today, Sir.” JARVIS’ voice came through troubled.

Tony shuddered. He quickly glanced at the horizon, but the world still seemed okay. “First time for everything, I guess?” He snatched another quick glance out the window. “Maybe my bed will give me better results.”

It was Saturday, and Jan was throwing a party at Club A.

Tony groaned as he rolled out of bed. After the nightmarish sleepwalking incident, he’d gone to his bedroom to try to catch some more sleep. The few hours he’d managed didn’t seem to help at all. Exhaustion felt like a part of him. Tony stood up and wobbled on his feet. He stumbled into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

His face was pale and sallow. Dark smudges standing out from under his eyes spoke to the lack of quality sleep he was getting. His cheeks looked sunken and thin, and the cut on his face was an angry red, throbbing faintly in time to his pulse. His hair was in disarray, a complete removal from the usual stylish look he went for.

Tony’s sigh became a deep, jaw-wrenching yawn. The shower would revitalize him and then he could get ready for Jan’s party. He promised her he would be there, and he was going to be there, no matter how much he wanted to crawl back into bed right there and then.

All told, it took him three hours to get ready. He blamed it on sleep deprivation and a strange feeling of preoccupation, even though he wasn’t thinking of anything in particular. The shower itself took an hour just because he kept staring off into space. An inordinate amount of time was wasted with him standing in his generous walk-in closet gazing blankly at his clothing options. At one point, he’d come back to himself, one hand on his beloved cheese fridge’s open door, looking unseeingly past all the cheese.

Clearly the fatigue was getting to him.

Jan seemed to think the same when she saw him at Club A. “Tony,” she cupped his face in her hands, “I’m really happy you came to the party for me, but you should’ve just stayed home if you weren’t feeling well!”

He smiled and leaned into her hands. “But I feel so much better now that I’m with my favourite fashion designer.” Tony waved a hand at the flashing lights and décor. “You know me, Jan. I would never miss a van Dyne party for the world.”

Jan made a noise and hugged him. “You flatterer, you. Thanks so much for coming, but if you feel like you need to go home, just go, okay? I don’t want to contribute to you feeling worse. I can always throw another party when you’re feeling better.”

They hugged for a good moment before Tony drew back. “Okay. Now, please tell me there’s a good selection of cheese here, because I’m craving some cultured milk products.”

Jan linked their arms together and led him towards the bar. “Nothing beats your cheese fridge, Tony, but I did curate an impressive collection, if I say so myself. I expect an in-depth review. Thoughts, impressions, praise, criticism, everything.”

They picked through one of the available cheese platters, undisturbed by the other party goers. After a quiet moment, Jan placed her hand on Tony’s knee. “Did you want to talk about it?”

Tony bit into a slice of Port Salut and savoured the taste. He shrugged. “I don’t know what to say. I’m just really tired lately. And yesterday night, I had this crazy dream.” He ate the rest of the slice, even though he no longer felt hungry.

Jan raised her eyebrows. “What was it about?”

Tony gripped her hand. “It was-” He scrunched his face and looked at her. “It was crazy. I was being chased by something in the Tower, and something was wrong, and there was something about an elevator?” He looked down at their hands. “That’s so weird. I could clearly remember everything when I woke up, but now I barely remember any details.” He didn’t mention that even if he suddenly forgot what the dream was about, he still felt visceral fear just thinking about it. He smiled at her uncertainly.

Jan thought quietly for a moment, then pulled him to his feet. “Maybe you just need to get it out of your system? Let’s dance!”

Tony grinned and let her pull him onto the dance floor. “You always know what to do!” He had to shout over the pounding music, but he knew Jan heard him because she grinned at him brightly. He let himself be pulled along with the beat. He would show the world Tony Stark was more than okay and still at the top of his game.

At some point he’d lost Jan in the crowd, but it was okay because he was finally getting into the groove. It was second nature for him to navigate the teeming crowd to find the best places where it was just the right amount of packed. He made it through an indeterminable number of songs.

Tony looked up and breathed.

He was standing just outside the doors of the club, and he didn’t know when or how he got there. Behind him, the music pounded away, much quieter enclosed within a building. In front, the campus spread out into the night, lights softening the darkness.

Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, Tony breathed deeply. He focused on the hard edges of the gauntlet digging into his skin. It was a cool night with a slight breeze. He shivered and counted to ten. When he had enough of a grip on himself, he lowered his hands and opened his eyes.

He nearly leapt out of his skin.

Loki stood in front of him, watching him with a sneer. “You’re blocking the door, Armour Man.”

Tony had to try several times to get his vocal cords to work. “What?”

Loki crossed his arms and rested his weight on one hip. “Are you deaf? I said you’re blocking the door.” He paused and peered at Tony. “What happened to you? You seem different.” He flicked a hand dismissively. “Not that I care. I’m just asking so I can make fun of you later.”

Tony’s brain felt like it was steeped in molasses. “What? No, nothing. I’m just tired. I need to go home.”

Loki sniffed. “I was going to challenge you to a dance competition, but I have to say I agree. It would be too easy a win against you in your current state. I’ll challenge you another time.”

Tony stepped around Loki and headed in the general direction of the Tower.

“You’re going the wrong way, Armour Man.” Loki called after him.

Tony flapped his hand in Loki’s general direction. “I know how to get home, Loki. It’s fine, I can handle myself. Go have fun with your dance battles.”

“He’s right, you know.”

Steve stood in front of him in all his righteous glory.

Tony jerked. “Jesus, what’s with everyone and sneaking up on me lately? Never mind, don’t answer that.” He squinted at Steve. “What are you doing here? Were you just lurking about outside like a creeper while everyone else is partying?”

He watched in awe as Steve’s face transitioned from righteous to constipated. “Wow. I can’t believe it. Captain America loitering about like a creeper. You learn something new every day.”

Steve grimaced. “Don’t distract me, Tony.” His muscles bulged as he tensed. “Loki is right. You’re heading away from the Tower.”

Tony scowled. “No I’m not. Look, it’s right there!” He threw a hand up in the Tower’s general direction. At Steve’s disbelieving expression, he looked in the direction he gestured in. All he could see was the edge of campus in the distance. A smattering of trees and buildings petered out into the dim haze that was the Timefog.

Ice slithered up his arms, up his neck and over his scalp. Distantly, he heard something whisper in the breeze.

A strong hand shook his shoulder. “Tony!” Steve looked at him in concern. “Are you okay?”

Tony breathed. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

Steve’s hand was a solid point of warmth. “You’ve been saying that a lot recently. Have you been sleeping at all?”

Tony tore his gaze from the treeline. “I’m fine. I just need to go home.” His gaze flitted to Steve’s concerned face then somewhere to the side. “Don’t worry your hyper-stylized self about it.”

From behind, Loki called out, “Better take him home, America Man! Don’t want your boyfriend lost, do you?”

Steve spluttered and Tony smacked him on his very firm arm. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch. It’s just Loki being Loki. You know how he is.”

The taller man’s hand twitched where it rested on Tony’s shoulder. “I’m not-” He huffed. “I hate to say it, but Loki’s right. I’ll walk you back. If you’re so sleep deprived you can’t even walk in the right direction you need someone to be with you.”

Tony simpered. “What a gentleman, walking me home.” He rubbed at his face and ignored the stinging in his cheek. “Well, come on then. I want to go home.”

The hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Tony, you’re still going in the wrong direction.” Steve took pity and turned him around. “The Tower is that way.”

Tony flexed his numb fingers. “Right. Lead the way then.”

Seven minutes and fifteen seconds of silence passed before Steve opened his mouth. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

“Is that why you’ve been lurking outside the club?” Tony tried to stop and turn, but Steve’s hand remained firm and steady, and he nearly tripped over his feet. “Who knew you were hiding such creeper tendencies under that perfect face. Wow.”

Steve steadied him effortlessly. “I’m going to ignore that.” The hand on Tony’s shoulder had migrated to his back at some point. “I’ve been thinking about this, and spending time in the Timefog confirmed what I was thinking.” He firmly turned them down a street when Tony kept walking forward. “We should spend more time together. Training. Work on our teamwork.”

“Teamwork.” Tony echoed. “You want to us to work together. When you know we can’t even be in the same room for five minutes before we start arguing. We’re never in the same team when we’re fighting bad guys. More like we’re never in the same team. Ever.”

“We have to start somewhere.” Steve forged resolutely ahead. “Teamwork doesn’t just happen spontaneously. You have to build a foundation. Work on interpersonal relationships.”

Tony looked at him incredulously. “Do you hear yourself, Cap? Interpersonal relationships? Building a foundation? You sound like a SI new employee icebreaker. Not that I attend those. But I assume if I were to go to one, it would be the exact same.”

“Is it that hard to say yes to training?” Steve took them down another street and the main entrance of the Tower glowed with a welcoming light. “Besides, I thought you’d want bragging rights if you take down Captain America.”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “There’s no if. Of course Iron Man can defeat Captain America. Fine, I’ll do a training session with you. Just for a test run. Obviously I’m going to effortlessly beat you.”

Steve grinned at him. “How does tomorrow sound?”

Tony waved a hand. “I’ve got SI business to take care of tomorrow. If you want your training session it has to be on a weekday, after class.”

Steve nodded enthusiastically. “Of course. Monday then? Or would Tuesday work better for you?”

Tony shrugged and headed into the Tower. “Talk to JARVIS about it. He has my schedule.” He called over his shoulder. “Thanks for the unnecessary escort, enjoy the rest of your night, don’t be a stalker, et cetera, bye.”

He left Steve standing at the doors.

True to his word, Tony spent all of Sunday holed up in the lab. The only times he stopped working were for meal breaks, bathroom breaks, and Jan breaks. Early on in their friendship, Tony had learned the hard way the consequences of ignoring Jan for too long when she messaged him. Of course, she was perfectly understanding and accommodating if there were legitimate reasons for him not answering. Tony understood the need for immediate feedback, especially when it pertained to new ideas and breakthroughs and you needed someone to bounce ideas off of. Really, they were two peas in a pod. That was why they were best friends.

Music had been blasting from the lab’s speakers ever since he’d stepped foot into the space. It was currently playing through Playlist #57. Tony spun a hologram depicting a water filtration device in the air. He saved the project, finalized it, and sent it to R&D. Ever since the nightmare, silence gave him the creeps. Strange sounds seemed to emerge from the silence, but JARVIS was never able to pick anything up. Music filled the space, made it much more difficult for the silence to creep in. It’d gotten to the point where he wondered if he was finally losing it.

In between projects for SI, Tony did work for Fury and the Academy. Two projects for SI, one for Fury, another for SI. Rinse and repeat. It helped to keep his work varied. He worked at a hectic pace, inspired by sleep deprivation and too much caffeine. It wouldn’t do to fall asleep in the middle of a project. He knew firsthand what happens when he suddenly falls asleep and did not wish to repeat that.

It was late by the time he stumbled into bed, the caffeine finally wearing off and eyes dry from staring at bright screens all day long. JARVIS said something but he could barely hear him over the pounding of his headache. Tony managed to mumble something generic in reply before he pulled the covers over himself and passed out.

If he dreamed, he couldn’t remember.

Tony didn’t really remember Monday or Tuesday. If he thought about it, he could dredge up vague snatches of memory. Jan fluttering about in equal amounts of excitement and worry. Lecture moving at a snail’s pace. Steve’s judgmental yet concerned face. Being electrocuted in Professor Pym’s lab. The Winter Soldier’s abysmal emo music in the quad. The last one he definitely did not make up.

But he really only remembered the overwhelming sense of fatigue. Being distracted. Staring off into nothing. The effects of coffee were short-lived, and several times he caught himself nodding off. Seemingly losing his sense of direction even though he helped design the campus.

JARVIS had scanned him, but couldn’t find anything other than fatigue and insomnia.

It also turned out Steve actually tried to schedule a training session through JARVIS. Fortunately, JARVIS was intuitive enough to delay it. Unfortunately, JARVIS was a blabbermouth and told Steve Tony was feeling unwell.

That probably explained why Steve took up a good portion of the few memories he could actually recall about those two days. Super soldier turned tour guide. It would’ve been funny if Tony wasn’t the one acting like a freshman on his first day at school.

If Tony had the energy to spare, he’d be indignant at the thought of Steve escorting him everywhere. The guy probably thought it was his sworn duty to help everyone, including spoilt billionaires with no sense of direction. Steve was just nice like that. Expected the best of himself and everyone around him. No wonder he always seemed disappointed or irritated by Tony. Understandable, really.

Which brought up another thing. If Steve found Tony so irritating, why did he keep trying to be buddy-buddy with him? Maybe he decided to change tactics and thought this would somehow make Tony more motivated to be a better person. Sucks to be him, because Tony wasn’t going to miraculously become a better person just because Captain America wanted to be friends. If Steve knew Tony had a crush on him for basically his entire life, he’d probably try to get away as quickly as possible.

Relationships were never Tony’s strong point. Engineering, inventing, tech, those were his selling points. And money. And fame. Maybe Steve wanted something. It was kind of sad how long it’d taken Tony to think of this, but in his defense he’d been having a long week. Maybe Steve wanted gear? Some more robots to beat up? A new arm for Bucky? Tony made a mental note to ask him when he saw him next. Everyone wanted something. He should also tell Steve that if he had a request, he could just tell him outright instead of going about it in such a roundabout way. Tony was always happy to build things for people and help them out.

Or maybe Steve wanted to learn his moves so that in case he ever went supervillain, he would be able to take him down. It wasn’t like Tony hid what he did with Iron Man though. Everyone on campus knew what Iron Man can and cannot do. Maybe Steve just wanted some variety, get a new sparring partner for at least one session. It kind of stung though, the possibility that Steve thinks he’s supervillain material.

Tony groaned and rolled over until his face was pressed into the pillow. He shouldn’t have to think about Captain America’s motives in bed. That sounded very inappropriate and dirty. He snorted into his pillow. Maybe he should try that against Steve in training. It might give him an advantage. Offend Steve’s old fashioned sensibilities, get him flustered. Throw him off balance long enough for Tony to get a hit in.

Picking over the past two days again in his head, Tony worried for his sense of direction. It wasn’t just the Tower that he had trouble with. It was any place at any given time. Almost walking past a classroom or the Archives before being shepherded through the door by Steve. Thinking he knew where he was heading before realizing that he was in fact going in a completely different direction. Tony was glad there were no cliffs on campus. He’d have walked off one without knowing.

He shuddered and pulled his covers up past his ears. Clearly, he needed to stop thinking and start sleeping. He wiggled into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes with purpose.

Tony woke up on Wednesday feeling better than he had the entire week. The aches were less prominent, his head wasn’t pounding, and he didn’t feel like keeling over when he stood on his feet. The strange preoccupation he felt seemed to be gone as well. No disturbing noises made themselves known, no creepy sensations, no odd shadows at the edge of his vision. Even the cut on his face was less red and angry. In fact, Tony felt so normal he wondered if he hallucinated the past few days.

He spent a perfectly normal day at school. He took selfies with Jan, got electrocuted several times in Professor Pym’s lab, worked on his aim at the Blasting Range, and got some studying in at the Timeless Archives. He even managed to stay alert during lectures, which was an impressive feat on any day.

“Well, someone’s perky today.” Jan rested her chin on a palm and dimpled her cheeks at him. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. You even look better. You had me really worried the last two days.” Somewhere in the background, the lecturer was droning on about something or other.

Tony kissed her cheek. “I’m back to my old self now. You don’t have to worry anymore. You know I’m stronger than that, Jan. After all, I’m Iron Man.” He waggled his eyebrows and smirked.

Jan smiled indulgently and squished his cheeks between her hands. “I know you’re Iron Man, Tony, but I also know how you are with your own health and safety, and that’s just as important as being Iron Man.”

Tony ignored the gaze burning into him from six rows away and laid his hands over hers. “I love you too, Jan. Let’s hug it out.”

Jan wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight. “You’re my best friend, Tony, and as your best friend I have to ask. Are you going to do something about Steve? He’s been staring at you ever since lecture started.”

Tony sighed into her hair. “He’s been trying to talk to me ever since that mission into the Timefog. He keeps going on about friendship and teamwork. It’s quite confusing. Maybe he wants something from me?”

Jan huffed. “Oh, Tony. Maybe he actually means that he wants to be friends with you! I understand where you’re coming from, but sometimes an offer of friendship really is an offer of friendship.”

“Oh. I guess so.” Tony hummed. “He also really wants to do a training session with me, but I fobbed him off on JARVIS.”

Jan nearly shrieked. “What!” She ignored other students shushing her. “Steve Rogers asked you out and you fob him off onto your AI assistant?!”

Tony jerked his head away and patted her back. “Shush, you. And he’s not asking me out, he’s asking if he could pummel me and my armour into the mats. Not in the sexy way.” He paused. “Wow, I’ve never seen Steve’s face that colour before.”

Jan turned her head so quickly Tony thought she was going to sprain her neck. “Oh my God, you’re right! His face is so red. Wow. I guess he heard us.” She turned back and glared at Tony. “And I’m serious, he was totally asking you out! You need to say yes!”

Tony patted her back again. “I think more than half the lecture hall heard us. And no. If we go by your logic, he’s totally dating Natasha, Bucky, Sam, and whoever else trains with him. Which, you know, is his choice. They’re all very good looking and talented. He only barely tolerates me, remember?”

“Nooo, you have to stop. Listen to me. Steve definitely wants to go out with you! He’s socially awkward, and you’re socially awkward, that’s why you’re having communication issues.” Jan grabbed Tony by the face again. “Trust me, I know what I’m talking about!”

Tony patted her shoulders. “Okay, okay. I get it. I’ll take your word for it.”

Jan pouted. “You better not be saying that just to placate me! And you’re going to say yes to that date, you hear?” She prodded him hard in the chest.

Tony winced and rubbed the spot she poked. “Okay, fine. Do you want proof too? A selfie of Steve and me at the Power Gym? Or wherever?”

This time, Jan shrieked.

It’s really no stretch to find themselves kicked out of class immediately after. It’s okay though, because the lecture material was really boring and Tony knew it all already. And it freed up more time for Jan and him to hang out together.

By the time class ended, Tony and Jan had sat themselves on top of a picnic table, onto their seventh coffee of the day and basking in the afternoon sun. A shadow towered over them and Jan gasped loudly.

She shook Tony’s arm aggressively. “Remember what you promised me! I expect selfies! I love you!” She smacked a kiss onto Tony’s cheek before jabbing a finger at Steve. “You!”

Steve stared at her, eyes wide. “Yes?”

Jan leapt up and shrank down to Wasp size. She hovered in Steve’s face. “If I hear anything about you hurting Tony, you’ll regret it!” With that, she flew off with a zoom.

Tony and Steve stared after her.

Steve cleared his throat.

Tony rolled his eyes. “How can I help you?”

Steve nearly vibrated with tension. “I talked to JARVIS. He said you’re free tonight or tomorrow.”

Tony slurped obnoxiously at his rapidly cooling coffee. “If JARVIS said so, then it must be true.”

They stared at each other in silence for a beat, before Steve twitched. He grimaced and huffed. He looked like he was getting his teeth pulled. “Would you be free for that training session we talked about?”

Tony drank the last of the coffee. He scrunched his face and looked into the distance. He considered his options. “Not today. I have work to do. At home. I can do tomorrow though.”

Steve brightened so much he resembled a lightbulb. “Great!” He cleared his throat and frowned. “Great. How about 7 PM? Does that work for you? We could get dinner before or after if you want?”

Tony rested his chin on his palm and raised an eyebrow. “If you want me to throw up on you during the training session, sure we can have dinner before. But if you want me to not regurgitate anything then dinner will have to be after.” He glanced at Steve and away. “So is this like a teamwork dinner, or a dinner dinner?” Tony raised his coffee cup to his mouth before he remembered that it was already empty.

“Dinner after then!” Steve opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. “Dinner- I mean.” Steve took a deep breath in and let it out in a rush. “Jan was right. I was trying to ask you out but I couldn’t get it out. But I also want to spar with you. So I guess what I’m really asking is if you’d want to spar with me and then go for a dinner date after.” He quirked a smile at Tony.

Tony ducked his head and fiddled with the coffee cup. “Right. Uh. Yeah, sure. I’d like that.” He ignored his burning cheeks. “But try not to dent the suit, okay. I just cleaned it the other day.”

Steve beamed. “Thanks, Tony. I’ll see you tomorrow at 7 PM then, at the Power Gym.” He quickly left with what looked suspiciously like a bounce to his step.

Tony shook his head and pressed his hands against his cheeks. He ducked his head and grinned.

Tony looked down at the wrench held loosely in his hand. He was sitting in his lab, and he didn’t know how long he’d been zoning out for. A holographic image of something or other spun in the air above him. Even after careful consideration, he still wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be. Tony placed the wrench down on the workbench and crossed his arms. If he tilted his head just right and squinted, the contraption vaguely resembled an espresso machine mashed up with flight stabilizers and air conditioning.

He really wasn’t sure how it became that odd. The last thing Tony remembered was trying to improve the flight efficiency of his hoverboard. That probably explained the flight stabilizers. But the espresso machine and air conditioning were still a mystery. He shrugged and scrapped the file.

The surprise HYDRA attack in the late afternoon managed to put a dent in the armour and loosen several components, so Tony placed one of the more damaged pieces on the table in front of him. JARVIS helpfully brought up a schematic of the piece, a pauldron. The holographic 3D model glowed an electric blue, while the damaged parts were highlighted in red. Tony reached for a screwdriver and got to work.

He picked up the soldering iron and nearly fumbled. Tony shuddered as his mind connected the dots and furiously sorted everything out. Dread and fear washed over him and he opened his mouth to give JARVIS a word of warning.

It’s too late.

Tony crawls into bed and closes his eyes.

In the dead of the night, Tony opens his eyes and puts on his jet boots.

He walks out of the Tower.

He goes home.

**Author's Note:**

> Ambiguous endings hoho. But no, there's actually a real ending, but I'm stuck and am having trouble finishing it. Hopefully I will post it............. sometime. >_>


End file.
